Program Director, Physical Therapy

Job Summary

The Program Director provides leadership, oversight, and continuity for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program. Reporting directly to the department chairperson, the Program Director’s primary responsibilities include communication, program assessment and planning, fiscal management, faculty evaluation, recruiting and advising students; establishing and managing an effective curriculum; documenting outcomes and maintaining program accreditation; teaching graduate courses within the DPT curriculum; and maintaining professional competency and skills required for professional practice. The Program Director participates as a full member of the faculty with all relevant duties, responsibilities, and benefits and takes leadership roles where appropriate.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to work collaboratively with the department chairperson and faculty in the ongoing development and administration of the program.
• Proficiency in use of word processing and spreadsheet software.
• Ability to promote effective professional relationships in physical therapy and rehabilitation disciplines.
• Ability to motivate and mentor faculty.
• Ability to promote and influence interprofessional education.
• Ability to maintain effective professional relationships within the workplace.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in both written and verbal form.
• Ability to motivate and mentor students.
• Skills in program evaluation, time management, fiscal planning, and marketing

Required Qualifications

• An earned academic doctoral degree (PhD, EdD, etc.).
• Applicants must be a licensed Physical Therapist in the State of Tennessee, or eligible for Tennessee licensure and transfer of license within six (6) months of hire.
• Knowledge of the CAPTE accreditation process and previous experience with the self-study process is required.
• Minimum of six (6) years of full-time higher education experience with a minimum of three (3) years of full-time experience in a physical therapist education program.
• Experience or formal training in curriculum development, program evaluation, and assessment.
• Professional development and/or education in educational theory and methodology, instructional design, student evaluation, and outcome assessment.
• Five (5) or more years of experience as a practicing physical therapist.
• Demonstrated record of service to the profession.
• Strong teaching evaluations.
• Applicants must hold the rank of Associate Professor or higher and must demonstrate a record of teaching effectiveness, service, and scholarship that is commensurate with appointment at ETSU at the rank of Associate Professor or higher.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrates experience with program development, writing a self-study and preparing for an accreditation site visit; evaluating program outcomes and revising curriculum to ensure CAPTE standards are met; developing/enforcing policies and procedures for a DPT program; program recruitment.
• Experience as a DPT program director and/or graduate-level coordinator.
• Knowledge and experience with interprofessional education strategies.
• Demonstrates a record of scholarly activity.
• Demonstrates a working knowledge of educational theory and methodology.
• Experience in leadership and management of personnel.
Compensation & Benefits

• Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience
• For information on benefits, please visit Employee Benefits

Application Instructions

• Exempt positions are only required to be posted for a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days. The closing date for this posting is subject to change without notice to applicants.
• Employment is contingent on a satisfactory background check.
• Additional Documents to Attach:
• CV
• Cover Letter
• Unofficial Transcripts

ETSU is an equal opportunity employer.

University Overview

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is an institution with over 14,000 diverse students highly ranked graduate and undergraduate programs. Located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee, ETSU serves as a hub for community, discovery, and service. Aligned with the institution's mission, we value efforts to engage in teaching, scholarship, creative activities, and service that involve community partners and address significant societal needs in our region and beyond. Recognized in 2024 as a Great College to Work For, recent strategic initiatives prioritize the institution’s focus on community engagement.

Disclaimer: The Job Summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work individuals perform in this classification. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to revise the job or require different tasks to be performed as assigned to reflect changes in the position. Employees must be able to perform the position's essential functions satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations.